


Everything Has Its Wonders

by enigmaticblue



Series: Sun 'Verse [23]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M, Trope Bingo Round 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 01:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2369714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary didn't really like going into town.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything Has Its Wonders

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the “language and translation” prompt for trope_bingo and the “humiliation” prompt for hc_bingo.

_“Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.”_ ~Helen Keller

 

Mary reluctantly climbed out of the back of the Impala. She didn’t like being around strangers, and had mostly avoided going into town when they’d lived in Sioux Falls. She liked their new place better than Bobby’s—although she would never tell Ben that—but she didn’t like the idea of meeting strangers.

 

She wanted to tell Ben or Cas or Dean not to leave her alone, but she didn’t want to appear to be afraid. They were all so strong, and so brave, and she didn’t want to be a burden.

 

“We need to hit up the grocery store, and I’d like to speak with Maryanne,” Dean says. “Ben, why don’t you come with me, and Mary can go to the grocery store with Cas.”

 

Mary was relieved not to be left on her own. She still wasn’t entirely sure about Miss Maryanne and Mr. Howl. They were nice enough, but they couldn’t sign, and so her means of communicating with them were limited. But at least they knew that Mary couldn’t speak, and they didn’t try to make her.

 

Other people might not be so understanding, especially when they found out she could hear, even if she couldn’t speak.

 

Mary stayed glued to Cas’ side the entire time they were in the small grocery store, and Cas thankfully used only sign to communicate. If anyone saw them, they’d know that Mary couldn’t speak, and maybe they would leave her alone.

 

Cas paid for their purchases and gave Mary one of the lighter bags to carry. “Why don’t we go find Dean and Ben, huh?” he asks in an undertone.

 

Mary nodded, and they went up the street to a building with a sign out front that read “General Store.” She’d gotten a lot better at reading over the winter, and when they walked into the crowded store, it felt homey in a way. There were jars of candy lining the shelves below the main counter, just at a kid’s eyelevel. Ben was perusing the jars, and he turned when the bell over the door rang.

 

“Mary! Come look!” he called.

 

Mary hadn’t seen this much candy in one place in ages, and she stared at it right along with Ben, her mouth watering slightly. She’d liked candy before everything had gone wrong, even though—

 

She shied away from that thought, like she shied away from all thoughts of her parents. She refused to remember them, because if she did, she’d remember waking up in the car with their frozen bodies, screaming and screaming until her voice had given out.

 

Sometimes she thought she’d used it up on screaming, and she’d never be able to speak again.

 

Ben nudged her shoulder. “Okay?”

 

Mary nodded and signed, “Okay.”

 

Miss Maryanne cleared her throat, and Mary jumped guiltily, as though she’d been caught doing something wrong. Instead, Miss Maryanne held out two small, white paper sacks.  “Five pieces of candy apiece and no more,” she said sternly, but with a twinkle in her eye that told Mary she was enjoying herself.

 

“Maryanne,” Dean began.

 

Miss Maryanne cut him off. “My shop, my rules, Dean Winchester. Now, let’s take care of that business we discussed.”

 

Cas followed them toward the back of the store. “You can explore, but stay together, and don’t wander too far,” he ordered, pausing to pat Mary’s shoulder.

 

Mary shuddered, not wanting to let them out of her sight, but she didn’t want to be a baby either.

 

“Come on,” Ben said. “Candy, and then we can see the rest of the town.”

 

Mary took her time choosing, mostly because she didn’t want to leave the relative safety of the store, but she could tell that Ben was getting impatient.

 

“Come on!” he finally said, clearly antsy. “It’s not that hard.”

 

“You go without me,” Mary signed. Here, Dean and Cas were close, and she could find them if she needed them.

 

Ben rolled his eyes. “No way. Come on.”

 

She sighed and finished picking out her candy. She reluctantly followed Ben outside, staying close.

 

“Mary, it’s fine,” Ben said in an undertone. “We moved here because Dad thought it would be safe, okay?”

 

Mary didn’t know how to tell him that they were never safe, not here, not anywhere.

 

Well, maybe at home, with the acres of empty land and Dean and Cas on guard.

 

“I wonder if this town has a movie theater,” Ben said. “Not that there are any new movies out, but it would be nice to see a movie again. Did you go to the theater much?”

 

Mary shook her head. Her parents hadn’t thought much about television or movies. They had read to her a lot, though.

 

They wandered down the street, and Mary’s eye was caught by a sign offering lessons—school lessons, piano lessons, you name it. She paused to read it and wondered if there was even a chance that Dean and Cas would pay for her to go. She was hungry for knowledge, and if she couldn’t speak, maybe she could make music.

 

When she looked up from the sign, Ben was gone, apparently having either abandoned her or wandered off without realizing that she wasn’t behind him.

 

For a moment, Mary wasn’t sure what to do, whether to try to find Ben, or go back to Miss Maryanne’s store and wait for Dean and Cas.

 

“Hey, you new in town?”

 

She stiffened and turned slowly, seeing a boy who was probably twelve, and he had two others with him. Mary swallowed hard and nodded.

 

“What, cat got your tongue?” the lead boy asked.

 

Mary realized that she couldn’t pretend not to understand him, not after she’d shown she could hear him, which meant that she had to make it known she couldn’t speak. “Sorry,” she signed, and then touched her throat.

 

“So, you can’t talk, is that it?” the boy asked. “Can’t scream for help neither.”

 

Mary backed up, feeling the glass against her back, the paper sack crumpled in her fist. She didn’t know what they wanted.

 

“Did somebody do something to you, take your tongue?” he taunted as his friends flanked her. “Or maybe you just don’t _want_ to talk? Maybe you like being the little mutie.”

 

“What the hell are you doing, Brian?” The woman bearing down on them was tall and well built, her dark hair pulled back into a messy bun, and her dark eyes flashing fire. There was a small boy on her hip, and she put him down to put both hands on her hips. “I have told you repeatedly that if I caught you bullying another child, I would tell your grandpa, and I know what he’d say if he knew about this.”

 

All three boys were backing off rapidly. “Didn’t mean anything by it, Miss Julia,” Brian said. “Honest! We just wanted to talk, and she wouldn’t speak.”

 

“Wouldn’t speak, or can’t speak?” Julia asked shrewdly. “Go on, get out of here before I get Miss Maryanne involved.”

 

The boys ran off, and Julia knelt down in front of Mary. “It’s okay, sweetheart. They won’t bother you again.”

 

Mary realized that she had tears running down her cheeks, and she sniffed loudly, feeling utterly humiliated. She should have been able to deal with the situation herself. Ben would have been fine.

 

“It’s okay,” Julia repeated. “It’s scary being in a new place around a bunch of new people.”

 

Mary made an abortive gesture with her hands until she realized that no one knew how to sign, not unless it was Ben or Cas or Dean.

 

“It’s okay,” Julia signed, speaking aloud as she did so. “I’m out of practice, but I still remember a few things.”

 

Overcome, Mary let Julia pull her into a hug and rock her a bit.

 

“Mary!” Ben shouted. “Mary! What happened?” He caught sight of her tearstained face, and glowered. “Who messed with you?”

 

“It’s taken care of,” Julia assured him. “No one is going to bother your sister again.”

 

“She’s not my sister,” Ben replied quickly. “I mean, my dad is taking care of her.” Mary flushed deeply, feeling hurt, at least until Ben reached for her free hand. “We’re family.”

 

“Well, let’s get you guys back to your dad,” Julia said, signing as she spoke. “This is Aubrey.”

 

The boy pressed his face against her thigh.

 

“He’s a little shy,” Julia said. “Where’s your dad now?”

 

“He was talking with Miss Maryanne,” Ben replied.

 

Julia put a comforting hand on Mary’s shoulder. “Then we’ll go find him.”

 

Mary pulled her hand free of Ben’s so that she could wipe the tears off her cheeks, and wipe her nose, and Ben said miserably, “I’m sorry. I thought you were right behind me. I should have been there.”

 

“You were looking at my sign,” Julia said cheerfully. “Are you interested in lessons?”

 

Mary shrugged, because she didn’t think they had money for that sort of thing.

 

“Well, maybe we can work something out,” Julia said as thought she’d spoken her doubts aloud, picking up her son and settling him on her hip.

 

When they entered the shop, Dean, Cas, and Miss Maryanne were talking in front of the counter, and Mary watched as their smiles faded as they realized something was wrong.

 

Miss Maryanne was the first to speak. “Julia? Is there a problem?”

 

“Brian and his cronies were being their usual charming selves,” Julia said wryly. “I put a stop to it.”

 

Cas knelt down and opened his arms, and Mary rushed to him. He picked her up and held her close, and she gave a shuddering sigh of relief, finally feeling safe.

 

“Ben?” Dean asked. “What happened?”

 

“I—I didn’t realize Mary wasn’t behind me,” Ben admitted, sounding abashed. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

 

Dean sighed. “All right. Well, just be more careful in the future. Is this something we should worry about?”

 

Mary let out a choked sob, hating to already be making trouble when they’d just gotten into town.

 

“I don’t think so,” Julia replied. “Brian and his friends can be bullies, but they’re cowards at heart.”

 

“She won’t be alone in town again,” Ben inserted. “I swear, Dad. I’ll look after her.”

 

“I know you will, son,” Dean replied. “Thank you.”

 

“It’s Julia,” the woman said, holding out a hand to shake Dean’s. “And I think Mary was looking at my sign in the window when she got distracted. I offer lessons to children around here.”

 

Dean smiled slightly. Mary could see his expression out of the corner of her eye. “Is that right? What kind of lessons do you offer?”

 

“Piano, but I also can teach K through 12. The local school got closed down, but I run my own classes seven days a week, whatever works for the parents.”

 

“That would be incredibly helpful,” Cas replied. “But I’m not sure we could pay you.”

 

Julia shrugged. “I’m not interested in cash. We could work it out in trade.”

 

Cas nudged Mary. “What do you think?”

 

“She’s nice,” Mary signed. “And she knows sign.”

 

Dean tuned speculative eyes back to Julia. “Is that right? I don’t suppose you have a car that needs fixing?”

 

“Constantly,” Julia agreed. “And if you could keep it running, we’ll call it even.”

 

“It’s a deal,” Dean replied, holding out a hand for her to shake on it.

 

Cas held Mary close. “Thank you.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to be able to use sign language again,” Julia replied, her hands flying. “I imagine that Mary and I will get along just fine.”

 

Mary nodded shyly, thinking that it was nice to be able to communicate with someone outside her immediate family.

 

“I want to learn to play music,” she signed. Even if they didn’t have a piano at home, the idea of playing music made her feel hopeful.

 

Julia beamed at her. “Well, how about we trade? You help me with my signing, and I’ll teach you to play piano.”

 

Mary smiled from the safety of Cas’ arms and signed, “Deal.”


End file.
